Prompt Templates and Libraries: Write Once, Use Forever

A prompt is a one-off message. A template is a reusable prompt with placeholders you fill in each time. If you're doing the same task more than twice — summarizing articles, translating messages, rewriting emails — make a template.

Your first template

You are a concise news editor. Summarize the following article for a reader with 2 minutes to spare. Requirements: - 3 bullet points. - Include the main claim, the key evidence, and the biggest caveat. - Neutral tone, no opinion. Article: """ {{ARTICLE_TEXT}} """

Each time you need a summary, you paste a new article into the placeholder. Same structure, same quality bar, different input. Your output stays consistent across hundreds of summaries.

A more advanced template

ROLE: You are a {{TONE}} writing coach for {{AUDIENCE}}. TASK: Rewrite the user's draft to be {{GOAL}}. RULES: - Preserve the original meaning. - Do not invent new facts. - Keep the rewrite within {{WORD_COUNT}} words. - Flag any unclear passages with [UNCLEAR: ]. DRAFT: """ {{DRAFT_TEXT}} """ OUTPUT: 1. The rewritten version. 2. Three specific notes on what you changed and why.

• {{TONE}} = 'supportive' or 'tough-love'
• {{AUDIENCE}} = 'high school seniors' or 'startup founders'
• {{GOAL}} = 'more concise' or 'more persuasive'
• {{WORD_COUNT}} = 150 or 500

Template hygiene

1. 1Use a clear placeholder style ({{CAPS}} is common).
2. 2Document what each variable expects.
3. 3Keep an example filled-in version next to the template.
4. 4Version your templates. v1, v2, v3 — with notes on what changed.
5. 5Test with weird inputs (empty, very long, wrong format).

A template only helps if you can find it again. Save your best prompts in one place with a short name, the task it solves, the variables to replace, and one example output that shows what good looks like.